I'll Be Direct: Informing vs.
Announcing
The
best sentences are phrased with active, direct language. A common issue
often linked to first person writing (I, me, we, us, our, etc.) is announcement language.
This style of writing announces for the reader what the paper
will
discuss rather than presenting the argument or ideas
directly. Announcement sentences are generally not as impactful or
interesting to read. In most cases, they delay important
ideas that you could be establishing and reinforcing.
Usually announcements use language like…
•
The point of my paper is…
•
In this paper, I will…
•
I believe that…
•
The topic of this report is…
“Announcing” is a form of metadiscourse,
which means you are discussing your discussion, instead of tackling the
topic directly.
In academic writing you want to avoid referring to your
paper as a paper, and you almost always avoid writing in the first
person (I or me). However, even in a paper in which you are allowed to
write in first person--such as a personal essay or reflection--you
should still
avoid announcing or metadiscourse and favor clarity, directness, and
precision.
Consider the difference between the following sentences:
Announcement
|
Direct
Writing
|
In this paper I
am going to explain how the North won the Civil War.
|
The North won the
Civil War because it had greater manpower, developed industry, and
access to the railroad system. |
My report will
explain some possible reasons why the dinosaurs went
extinct.
|
While
nobody knows for sure why dinosaurs went extinct, possible reasons
include
disease, global catastrophe, or natural selection. |
This essay will
illustrate how William Shakespeare used comedy to
create social commentary in The
Taming of the Shrew.
|
In
The
Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare hides social commentary
on the gender
roles of his time behind the mask of comedy. |
In this paper I
am going to tell you why you should make your kids get
a flu vaccination.
|
The
flu vaccine is an essential tool for keeping
our children healthy and preventing the spread of disease. |
Notice how each of these pairs of sentences discuss the same
topic. However, in the left column the writer announces, while in the
right column the writer is boldly and
directly stating exactly the point he or she intends to make. The right
column
is more interesting to read because it tells the reader more.
Exceptions:
Are there any situations in
which announcing or metadiscourse are acceptable? That depends
on the context in which you are writing.
Know the
conventions and expectations of your career or curriculum.
Sometimes a limited
amount of announcing can be acceptable in abstracts or introductions in
order to establish a roadmap for the BIG agenda of a long report, book,
dissertation, or other longer, more complex document.
When reading a
non-fiction book about a complex topic, for example, you may notice
language like this in chapter one:
First,
this book seeks to explore
______________________________________________. Then we will examine
several examples of _________________________________________________.
Section three focuses on the complex relationships between
____________________________. Finally, the closing chapter will
consider potential outcomes for _______________________________________.
In
a long, complex work, it can help to give a big picture overview of
your organizational agenda in this fashion, because you have so much
information to cover, that you would overwhelm the reader if you tried
to make every substantial point in one chapter or paragraph. The
reader's knowledge and appreciation for the discussion builds with each
section.
Just remember that in a shorter, more focused academic
paper, announcing mostly delays a more straightforward thesis or set of
key ideas.
Announcing
is also more commonplace in less formal writing environments, oral
presentations, or professional discussions. Example:
I would like to tell you
about my idea for improving Company X's profit margin in 2017.
Some
instructors for certain classes and curriculums will be more tolerant
of announcing in your assignments, so if you're not sure what is
preferred or expected, feel
free to ask!
|
